One Wish
by Mage of Dragons
Summary: Sequel to Until My Last Breath. Numair is lost after Daine's death. When help comes from an unlikely ally, he faces the hardest decision of his life. Can his love bring her back? CHAPTER FIVE IS UP!
1. Prologue

_A/N: I know, I said Until My Last Breath was a one-shot, but I read Aria-wolfstar's review and got a mad inspiration. So this is the result.I don't know how long it will be, but don't get mad at me for the little peoms and songs at the beginings of chapters. Those are all mine. This prologue was written a long time ago for a complely different topic, but I thought that it fits._ _Thanks again to _Aria-wolfstar, Narm's Boreas, thingy of um thingyness, and Numair's Lover, _my first reviewers. Its so cool to have people whose fic's I've read review my stuff. So here's One Wish. _

One Wish- Prologue

_Where was I _

_When the fire left your eyes?_

_Who was I _

_That I couldn't even cry?_

_Bottled up forever_

_Saving years for us together_

_Keeping my heart in an Iron Box_

_Afraid of losing what's left of you_

_Hold to me and never let go_

_Love and never look back_

_Now what will I do_

_With no one left to hold onto?_

_How could I_

_Never let go of you_

_What could I_

_Do to keep something to hold onto?_

_Bottled up forever_

_Saving years for us together_

_Keeping my heart in an Iron Box_

_Afraid of losing what's left of you_

_Hold to me and never let go_

_Love and never look back_

_Now what will I do_

_With no one left to hold onto?_

_Afraid of losing what's left of you…_

_A/N: So, that's it so far. I'll update as soon as I type my next chapter. I wrote it last night by hand after my mom kicked me off the laptop. See ya!_


	2. Chapter 1: Numb

_A/N: Here's the first official chapter of One Wish. It's sorta short, I know, but it didn't look that way when I wrote it. It was three notebook pages. Shows you just how big my writing is. Thanks again to Aria-wolfstar for giving my the inspiration. BTW, I'm going to need a couple people to help me come up with some ideas, and to bounce ideas off. So, if you want to volunteer to help with One Wish, then email me. _

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of these wonderful charcters. If I did, this would be in a book and not on FF, and I wouldn't be here, would I? The plot is entirely mine. **

One Wish-Chapter One: Numb

Too numb to even pretend to eat, Numair Salmalin stared at his untouched plate. It had been seven days since Daine had died in his arms, leaving him helpless and hopeless, and yet his heart had still not thawed. He had not even cried since the day she had died, limp and cold in his arms. Seven days ago. It had been seven days since his world had ended. Seven days since his life had come crashing down around him.

Every night, his mind rung with two simple words: I promised. Hr had promised Daine, had given her his word, that no matter what, he would keep on going. Even without her. Without Daine. The words still stung his bruised and frozen heart. What was life without his beautiful, cheery student, friend, and love? What other reason was there to live?

Beside him, Alanna the Lioness stirred uneasily. The man was torturing himself, but she loved him too much as a friend to get angry at him. She could see him wasting himself away, but there was no way she could find to bring him out of his grief. As a healer, she was helpless. As a friend, she was heartbroken. Alanna tried for the hundredth time to imagine the pain he was going through and shuddered. Would she be like that without George? Her heart still ached for Daine, who, despite her nineteen years, had been so young, so…innocent. No matter how much sorrow she felt, for both Daine and Numair, it pained her to see her friend like this. All he had done for the past seven days was stare coldly and unfeelingly out the window or at his plate. She knew that he had not eaten and hardly slept in the days since Daine's death.

His stare was blank as he recalled his love's funeral, three days before. But now, she lay beneath the ground, under a sight that he despised; her simple grey tombstone that remarked in bold, straight letters:

_Here lies the Wildmage_

_Veralidaine Sarrasri_

_Of Galla and Tortall_

_Who knew that_

_Love is the mightiest Weapon_

_Of All_

It lay in the palace cemetery, amongst many other Tortallan heroes, legends, and kings, her grave covered by perfectly serene grass and flowers. But something was missing. The People. No animals tread the ground where Weiryn's daughter lay, and even the palace animals seemed subdued and forlorn, even the most fiery-tempered seemed lost and biddable.

Numair unconsciously fingered the locket at his wrist, letting his tired and worn fingers trace every detail, every nuance of the engraved metal. His once warm brown eyes were hard and tired, but held no trace of a teary glimmer. He sat at his oversized desk. His head buried beneath stacks of paper. He picked up the nearest quill with a sad sigh, noting that the one he reached for was made from a feather Daine had shed in one of her many bird-forms.

With a limp hand, he tried to begin the report Jon was expecting, but each detail that sprung to life in his mind only succeeded in reminding him even more of his lost Magelet. His quill scratched at the parchment for over an hour, his cramped and angular but perfect script filling the page, but all that resulted was a page filled with the same words, written over and over again.

_I wish…I promised…I love you…Magelet……I wish…I promised…I love you…I wish…I promised…Daine…_

He fell asleep sometime during the night, his head cushioned on Daine's book of immortals. One single, unspoken word lingered on his lips as his breathing slowed: Wish.

_A/N: There! It's done. Now, be good and click that little button down there and tell me what you think. _

_Mage of Dragons_

_(Razzi)_


	3. Chapter 2: Dreams

_A/N: Here's the next chappie. Thanks to all my great reviewers. Hope you like it! P.S. I'm gonna need Idea bouncer-offers within the next coupla chapters. So if you want to volunteer for duty to make me write faster, than email me! P.P.S. Updates will prbably come alot slower after this. I just have some free time today._

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. All bow down to the Almighty Tammy!**

_One wish_

_One heart, one soul_

_One life to live_

_And I'll never let you go_

_Again_

_Oh, how I love you so_

_Just one wish_

_It's all I'm asking for_

_One wish_

- /-

The night watch called the midnight hour, and admired the peaceful hush that had fallen over the capital city. The lights had all been long since extinguished at the palace, except for a single beam of candlelight that shone from King Jonathon's study. The Conte king sat slumped at his desk, his handsome face cast into contrast by the lambent glow of the candle, weariness evident in his blue eyes. He absently scratched at his paper, feeling uneasy. Tortall had only recently lost its Wildmage, and she took with her their Black Robe mage. Numair had been so torn after Daine's death that he had stopped doing everything he had once loved and enjoyed.

With a sigh, Jon looked back at the notice that was pinned under his left elbow. It was dated from two weeks ago. Raoul reported that there had been unusual and suspicious activity noticed by the townspeople who lived near the Tyran border. Two spies had been caught and questioned, revealing nothing that Myles had not already told them. They had enemies in Tyra, powerful enemies. Raoul requested the use of Daine and Numair for the next few months. The notice was dated five days before Daine's death, so Raoul had not known the terrible news. He might still not know. There had been a subtle undertone of uneasiness radiating from the Tyran border, and Raoul had been hard to locate as of late.

What should he do? As king, Jon could order Numair to get himself together and aide his country, but his heart would not let him do it. The devastated look in the Mage's eyes when Alanna had pronounced Daine dead had been crushing. Jon had looked into Numair's eyes and seen a grief so much greater than he himself had ever felt, even after his mother's death and his father's suicide. The hollowness, the sense of being lost that had radiated from Numair still haunted his dreams. And as a friend, he could do nothing.

- /-

Numair Salmalin slept fitfully, his mind tortured by the same dreams that he had since Daine's death. He stood trapped behind a pane of glass, watching Daine in red-tailed hawk form. He saw her dive to escape a hurrok, only to be cut down by another. He pounded on the barrier in front of him, yelling, screaming her name, but his voice was muffled and his hand bled where it had touched the screen. He watched in horror as he relived seeing her bird-form plummet to the ground. He saw himself, too numb to move, to use his almost depleted magic. _"You could have saved her." _An eerie voice that was not his own sent shivers down his spine. _"If you had used you magic, she might have lived. But all _you_ could do was think about what would happen if she died. You have been, and always will be, a _dreamer, _not a _doer. Daine_ would have tried to help you. _Daine _would have done something. You KILLED her!" _The voice screamed.

"There was nothing I could do," Numair murmured, choking back tears of rage and sorrow, as he had the past nights. "I couldn't save her. I was powerless."

"_Ha!" _the voice spat. _"A Black Robed battle mage unable to do anything in battle." _Numair stiffened. He had heard this voice before, and not just in his dreams.

"Who-what- are you?" he asked, his voice thick with grief. He tried to search his mind, his memories for an answer, but the only thing that sprung to life was an image of Daine's ghostly pale, bloodless face.

As he jolted awake, sweat on a brow, the voice softly remarked, _"You will come to me soon. _Then _we will see." _A cruel laugh lit the air around Numair. He shook head, as if to clear the sound from his mind. This had not happened on the other days, he noted as he told himself he had only imagined this cryptic dream message.

_A/N: Nothing like a good cliffie to start your day. I know, everyone hates them, but I just had to do this. So? What do you think? Do you love it? Hate it? Want to bash me on the head? Click the button so I know!_


	4. Chapter 3: Orders

**A/N: So, a new chappie. This one's really short, I know, but I had to put it up. I apologize if none of it makes sense, butI will, soon. I promise. If I can, I'll update agaian today. But, I'm gonna be sorta busy 'cause I get to go see Bill Clinton at this thing tomorrow, so I've got to go get prep-ified. And again, none of this makes sense on purpose. Have a jolly good life! Rock on! Goddess Bless! May Your Swords Stay Sharp! Whatever. Rae, out.**

_Disclaimer: Only the plot is mine. Sadly. Or otherwise Numar would be mine and very un-sad, and I wouldn'tbe here. Jolly._

One Wish- Chapter Three: Orders

_Memories and dreams_

_All flooding back to me_

_Sometimes I think I see you_

_But my heart was just deceived_

_Why is it only in my mind?_

_I want to touch you,_

_To hold you close and make you mine_

_Bittersweet illusions_

_Are my heart-breaking delusions_

_And no matter how hard I try_

_I still can't even cry_

_Are you really gone?_

_Or are you here beside me?_

_I've spent ages searching_

_But why can't I find you?_

- /-

A lone girl sat, the pale stone floor biting into her bare knees. Her brown curls fell across her face, mixing with the tears that fell down her cheeks. The walls seemed to press in around her, the grey stone cold and heartless. There were no windows, no doors, no chance of escape. She watched coldly as drops of water trickled through a crack on the ceiling, falling in a murky green puddle at her feet, mingling with the pool of her tears. She watched as an image formed in the water. A lone figure was hunched over an intricately carved desk, his head bent in despair.

"Oh, Numair," The girl whispered, reaching out to touch the image, as if she could reach though the water and touch her beloved. But the image vanished the moment her finger brushed the water, and the echo of her words was swallowed up by the darkness.

- /-

"Numair, you can't _not _go! He expects you there! Think of the insult to him!" Alanna yelled, temper blazing. Numair shook his head. Alanna eyed her tall friend. His clothes were wrinkled and messy, his hair unkempt. Dark circles lingered under his eyes, and he was pale despite his tan, but they had gotten him out of his room for the first time in over a week.

"Numair, for once, she'd right." Alanna glared at Jon, and Numair was struck by the levity in their voices. Why couldn't they see? It wasn't that he _wouldn't_ go, but he _couldn't_. He couldn't face the trauma of returning. There were too many memories, too many familiar people who he knew just wouldn't understand.

"The insult to Kaddar would be terrible. We still don't know if he'll turn out like Ozorne, and while our treaty from four years ago still stands, our relationship is still rocky. He specifically requested that you and Daine attend," Alanna instinctively winced at Jon's casual use of Daine's name, as if feeling the pain the racked Numair's heart. "We still need Carthak as an ally. They still have the greatest armies, though smaller than the ones that Ozorne had created. I don't think that Kaddar will understand if one of the seven Back-Robed mages just turns down his invitation, so as you King, I am ordering you to go."

Alanna sputtered, turning red with rage. "Jon!" She looked as if she was going to slap her longtime friend. "You can't! How could--"

"I can because I am thinking of my whole country, and all of my people instead of just one. We simply cannot afford another war. And, as King, I am ordering you to go with Numair. _Don't _do _anything _stupid." Alanna grabbed Numair's wrist, dragging the dazed man out of Jon's office. The King slumped in his chair. Why did everything have to be so hard?

- /-

**AN: I know, another cliffie, but it's all for the best. I hope. So, please press that prettty blue button down there. You'll find that the number of reviews is directly porportional to my updating speed. (Can't you tell I'm in advanced maths? Jahhh... I hate geometry. blah.)**

MoD/Rae, a Thing Shot From a Gun& Owen the Jolly Garden Gnome (I am just one person, I think, but Owen and Rae are my split personalities. Jolly, isn't it?)


	5. Chapter 3 & A HALF: feel free to ignore

A/N: Treat this whole chapter as an Author's Note. Since its not really a chapie, I don't think it needs a discalimer, but if so, consiter it disclaimed. But whatever,I was feeling really random when I wrote this, so if my levity offends you, or will cause you to cause me bodily harm, then don't read it. It's not that important. Just an extra.

The Almighty Chapter of Background Information! Yay!

Well, you guys asked for it….

THE ALMIGHTY CHAPTER OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION!

(Henceforth called chapter 3.5)

This chapter is dedicated especially to Godsgirl16 who requested more info. In general, it is dedicated to everyone who had reviewed any of my fics. Thanks guys, you make a little backwater hick happy.

Ok. One Wish takes place in the fall, about three years or so after ROTG. This makes it in the middle of Page. That's about year 455 H.E.? Maybe? I dunno. That or thereabouts.

Daine and Numair are not as of yet married. Else she would have been Daine Salmalin. (Which I always manage to type "Slamalin"…)

Daine is 19, and Numair is 33. Jolly. Right-o.

Ok, the important part… Daine was killed fighting _Le Folks _from Scanra, and various other Immortals. By a hurrok, actually. Because this is AU, you can pick: Either everyone is blissfully ignorant of Kel & Co. (Some would say that's for the best…) or Kel never existed. She stayed in Yaman, or whatever. That means no Roald & Shinko, too. Sorry. And just because I need to get Numair outtta Tortall, Blayce and his cronies died peacefully in their sleep one spring morning after collapsing in a field of flowers. Or whatever happy scenarios you care to concoct. So there was no magic mumbo-jumbo, no real, pressing need for Numair. There were no killing machines, no Kel, Dom and friends venturing into Scanra. King Maggur still exists, but he's gonna be sorta OOC. You can figure that out. (Hey, his name comes out "mugger" in spellcheck!)

Another thing. If you like Kalasin & Kaddar being together, this is not the fic for you. I'm sorry. I happen to like both of them, just not together. This story will take another twist….

It also happens to include the country Jindazhen. Which I do not own. Tammy does. According to Kel, it's a country west of the Yamani Isles. Quote: "If it isn't Scanra, it's Jindazhen in the west," Kel p 136 of Page, paperback US version. If you want to look it up, for every other copy else it's towards the middle/end of chapter eight, where Kel is talking to Wyldon.

Ok, also since I'm being so random, I have to say that the title "One Wish" reminds me terribly of the Manga/Anime "One Piece." Blah.

Ok, if anyone has anymore questions about One Wish, email me, or put them in your review. I'll put them up here, in this chappie.

Jolly!

Mage of Dragons

Now, On With The Show!


	6. Chapter 4: Illusions

One Wish-Chapter Four: Illusions

_A/N: Well, here it is, the next chapter. Hopefully it will clear some stuff up for you. I blame the bathtuub for this chapter. As always, reviews are welcome, even flames. Right now I don't care. I really really and truly want to know what you think. I for one think that I am lazy, and that I can't type for beans. See? That wasn't so hard. Well, on with the show._

**Disclaimer: Ooo! I actually own something! Adelie is mine. I'll put you in one of the next chapters ifanyone can tell me what kind of animal and Adelie is. I found out from my planbook--which is odd, because that stupid thing is never useful. Excet for now. Well, anything else you recognise is Tammy's. **

_My heart says something_

_But my head contradicts_

_Every time I open my eyes_

_I see darkness_

_Blinding confusion_

_I want to be there where you are_

_I want to catch you when you fall_

_I want to be the name you call_

_When you wake up in the night screaming_

_I'll always hold you in my heart_

_And half a heart is just a question mark…_

Numair gripped the rail of the ship with white knuckles, his hair flapping in the breeze. His appearance was calm and unshadowed, his face staring blankly across the wide expanse of water that was The Great Inland Sea. But inside, his soul raged with emotions. The red heat of his anger even overwhelmed even the blue-grey of grief and numbness that had dominated his emotions for the past two weeks. Why? Why had Jonathon, a man he called his friend, ordered him and Alanna shipped to Carthak—like parcels?

"Like very nice parcels, though," Alanna had remarked dryly when he had told her. Her face had been twisted into a grimace: however much she disliked formal events, she disliked ships even more. They were torture to her. He had tried to smile for her then, but all that showed was a sad twitch of his cheek muscles. He had tried to smile for her because she _understood_. Somehow, the Lioness understood what he was going through in a way that no one else had. Perhaps it was because she had lost so many people that she had truly loved, or perhaps it was because she was one of his oldest and best friends. He didn't know, and for once, he did not care to find out the _why._ Now, it was simply enough to know that irrevocable fact.

Numair sighed. In two weeks, Kaddar, Emperor of Carthak, and Adelie, Princess of Jindazhen would be wed, sealing the alliance between the powerful Carthaki Empire, and the distant, exotic land to the Northwest. Delegations were coming in from all over, eager to see the strange princess, and not willing to risk the wrath of Carthak. With the marriage, Jindazhen pledged alliance to Carthak and her allies. Along with Alanna and Numair in the Tortallan delegation were Duke Gareth the Elder, Gareth the Younger, Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak, and Duke Baird of Queenscove, but today, they were all nowhere to be found. With another sigh, Numair turned back to the ship. The best thing to do now was to sleep, and try to escape this reality.

- /-

Numair stood at the prow of the ship _SunStar_, baking in the noonday sun. Spread out over the distant horizon was the grey mass of Carthak, growing ever closer. He stared at the water, wanting to lose himself in the inky depths of blackness, so different than the pools of blue-grey he had once loved to drown himself in. It seemed so inviting…He could forget everything, and leave all his troubles behind, and finally be with Daine… He leaned closer over the rail, until he was perilously inclined over the edge, until one small move could push him in. He pressed his face closer, ready to fall into oblivion.

A firm hand held him back. It pulled him back until his feet touched down onto the sturdy wooden planks of the ship. He turned, and saw Daine standing beside him, smoky-brown curls thrown wildly back from her face, her hands planted firmly on her hips. Her eyes were sharp. "You promised," she said, her voice an expressionless whisper. He watched her lips as they moved, then reached out to touch her.

The second he moved towards her, she was gone.

_A/N: Well, that was terribly short, as all of my writing seems to be, and very cliched. Oh well. I even gave you a cliffie... Well, press the little button, and see what happens. Interesting things always do happen when you press buttons, like this one over here...:KABOOM! Ooops! Wrong button! Oh well, enjoy!_

MoD


	7. Chapter 5: Realizations

**_A/N: I know, I've been horrible. It's been forever since I've updated any of my non-oneshot fics. I can't beleive that it's been almost two years since I've updated OW. I don't really have much of an excuse, except for to say that I've been working on _Bitter Regrets, _and _Eldorne's Atonement _which is really intense. I have to say, if you haven't checked it out yet, you are VERY much in the dark. It's simply awesome--chapters are written by some of the best FF authors around. It's really awesome to be included. If you're interested in the story, there's a link to the account in my profile. _**

**_Anyway, I have already written the second- or third-to-last chapter, so now that I have more direction, One Wish is actually going to be going somewhere. I tried to give you a longer chapter, to make up for the absence, but it's not that much longer. I promise, though, more will come soon._**

* * *

_Sometimes_

_It's hard to see _

_Beyond your own soul_

_It's hard to believe_

_That you're a part _

_Of a larger story_

_And there are more controls_

_Than your own goals_

_When you're locked inside_

_Your heart_

_And frozen by emotion_

_Just know that you have a friend_

_Who will always be here for you_

_I'll take your hand_

_And someday you'll understand_

_That your life is always your own_

_Just be strong for now_

_And don't let go_

_Because too many people_

_Depend on your soul_

_-/-_

Alanna whipped Lighting around her body in a complicated pattern, trying to concentrate only on the point where the metal seemed to be seared into her skin. She twirled the blade, attempting a complex pass, and failed. Her muscles twinged and she put down the sword, unable to do any more. She had been like this for almost a month now. She was too confused and upset to clear her mind enough to truly practice. She knew that everyone around her was haunted by Daine's death, but the news seemed to affect her more so than everyone but Numair. She didn't quite understand why—though the two had been friends in the seven years since Daine had came to Tortall from Galla, they hadn't been especially close. And it wasn't as if she hadn't lost a close friend before. It was the most difficult part of fighting for a living, the people you lost, and you never got used to it. But as a knight, Alanna felt that she had seen more than her fair share of losses. But why was Daine so different? Her death struck a chord in her unlike any other, even her brother's death, or Liam's.

Perhaps it was because Daine was so young…but she and Thom had both been of an age at the time of their deaths. Maybe it was because Daine had been so full of life and vitality; she was the heart that others depended on; she was always selfless. However, what struck Alanna the most, she realized, was the bitter irony of it all. Daine was half Goddess-half Immortal. She devoted her life to protecting and caring for animals and immortals. And yet, she was stuck down by a hurrok, a kinsman of sorts. It seemed so unnatural.

Alanna shook her head to clear it of her thoughts. That sort of thinking was insane. She wrote it down to the craziness of being cooped up in Kaddar's palace, and her desire to find some loophole to bring the young wildmage back.

Her practice ruined by her disturbed thoughts, Alanna picked up her weapons and returned back to her rooms. She had just enough time to bathe before she needed to report for another infernal fitting. Kaddar, being the Emperor of the wealthiest nation in the Eastern and Southern Lands, had decided to display the splendor of his country by personally outfitting all of his wedding guests in matching outfits for the occasion. Alanna thought it was fair foolish of him (to quote one of Daine's expressions, she remembered belatedly) to waste money on such lavishness when he had a slave rebellion on his hands that threatened to crumble his nation from the inside out. Still, she had spent too many years with Jonathon to not know the politics behind the decision; Kaddar had to convince his people that his nation was still as strong and wealthy and glorious as ever. Still, it was frivolous and needless.

On her way down to the tailor's, she passed Numair's room farther down in the extensive guests' wing. His door was slightly ajar, and she peered in. The lanky mage was asleep, sprawled across his bed. His eyes were red-rimmed and underscored with deep black circles. The past few weeks had worn new lines into his once perfectly sculpted face; his skin was grey and sickly, giving him the appearance of a much older man. Alanna's limbs went numb as she finally realized the gravity of her friend's situation. He was wasting away, too hurt to keep on living. She felt helpless; he needed to find something to live for, soon, but his life these past seven years _had _been Daine, and only Daine. There was nothing she could do.

* * *

**_A/N: Like it? Hate it? Love it? Review it!!!_**


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